Vacuum corn husking unit



Dec. 29, 1953 Filed Aug. 3, 1950 R. P. MORRISON VACUUM CORN HUSKING UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0 7a 6 I a 99 6 y 63 INVENTOR.

ATTD RN EYS I Dec. 29, 1953 MQRRISQN 2,664,090

VACUUM CORN HUSKING UNIT Filed Aug. 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTIJ RN EYS l atented Dec. 2 9, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,664,090 VACUUM CORN HUSKING m Ralph PrMor'rison, (Jalla way, Nebr. Application August a, 1950, Serial No.'177,533

2' Claims. (01.130-) This invention relatesto ajcorn .husking unitv of the type used in combination with a corn picker, and in particular this invention relates to a' dry corn it is difiicult to vhold the ears continuously in contact withhusking rolls so thatit is diificult to remove all of the husk Without dame aging the grain, With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a. husking' unit in which ears of cornare held in, contact with husking rolls by a yielding elernent and in which the husking rolls are also resiliently mounted whereby the rolls coact with the yielding element to.

retain ears of corn of different sizes in positive contact with husking rolls. 7 V

The object of this invention, is, therefore, to provide means for constructing a, corn husking unit wherein ears of corn are conveyed against pairs of husking rolls whereby the conveying means and rolls are, yieldingly supported.

Another object of theinvention is to provide an improved corn husking unit that may be used.

in combination with corn pickers'and the like now in use.

A further object,offtheiinvention is to provide,

an improved corn huski'ng, unit which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the inyention embodies a plurality of spaced parallel conveyor chains having flights thereon with V-shaped panels positioned between the chains and formed with outwardly diverging sections providing troughs, pairs of husking rolls positioned against each conveyor chain, suction means for circulating air through the chains and rolls and resilient means'supporting sections of the chains and the upper ends of the husking rolls.

Other features and advantages" of thejnvention will appear from the following description taken inconn'ection withthe drawings Whfi in: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through one of the husking units illustrating'an ear of corn conveyed by one of the chains'and pas'sizigbe tween a pair of husking rolls. H y A Figure Zis a plan view of 'thehusking' unit. Figure 3 is a crosssectionthlfou h the husking unit taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1. J I

F ure-i4 is a similar section taken on line 4-4 ofFig'ui'e lf" Figure 15 is a similar section illustrating the gears at the ends of the husking rolls.

Figure 6 is adetail showing aside elevational view of part of .the'unitwith the blower for pro viding thesuctionthrough the unit shown in sec tion andwith parts broken away.

Figure 7 is a detail looking toward the upper end of one of the pairs of husking rolls illustrating theresilient mounting means of the rolls.

Figure 8 is a detail illustrating one of the yielding conveyor mounting elements for urging the chains upwardly toward; the husk rolls.

Referring. now to the drawings wherein like reference charaotersdenote corresponding parts the improved husking unit of this invention in-, cludes a plurality of conveyor chains I0, I I and I2, a trough having inclined side panels 13 and I4 positioned to coact with the chain 10, another trough havinginclined side panels I 5 and I6 positioned to coactwith the chain n, a similar trough having inclined side panels I! and I8 positioned to coact with the chain I 2, husking rolls I 9 and 20 positioned above the chain), 2i and 22 positionedabovethe chain I and Hand 24 positioned above the chain 12, yielding segments 25, 26 and 27; positioned below the chains and j a blower 28 positioned at the end of a hood 29 for drawing air through the chains and husking rolls.

The conveyor chains are -mounted on a shaft 30 through sprockets 3 I, 32 and 33" at the lower end of the unit and on a similar shaft34 at the upper end of the unit by sprockets 35,36 and 31. I

The conveyor chains are driven through the shaft 34 at the upper endby a belt or chain 38 on a pulley org-sprocket 39.

.The huskingrolls are driven it from the shaft,

30 by a belt 40, thatis trained over pulleys 4i and 42 and the pulley 42, which is positioned on a shaft rotates the shaft 43 with bevel gears 44, 4 5 and 46 on the shaft meshingwith corresponding gearsfl, 4 8; and, respectively.

The huskingrolls l9 and 20 are provided with, meshing spur gears 50land; 5 l, the rolls 2 I and 22 are provided with' similar; gears 52 and 53,,and the rolls 23"and 24' with simuar gears and 55, respectively. a

The conveyor ,chains' are' provided with flights 56 that carryf ea'rsj of cornfas illustrated in Fig ure .1 upwardly,thrg' ugh thev units.

Each pair of husking rolls is mounted in separate and independent .framei and the lower ends of the irames are pivotally mounted on the shaft 43iwith thefupper ends resiliently suspended from ayoke51. The frames mymep the husking rolls are journaled are rectangular 2 (an 2:, in gi me-1' 9 a d .therolls "a 24" mo. frame 60. Thdfrhie 58 is provided with" extensions BI and 62 at the lower end through which it is pivotally mounted on the shaft 43, and an extension 63 at the upper end through which it i suspended from the yoke 51 by a bolt 64 with a nut 65 threaded on the upper end of the bolt and with a spring 66 positioned around the bolt and between the extensions 63 and the cross bar of the yoke 51. The frames 59 and 60 are formed with similar parts and these frames are mounted in a similar manner.

The segments 25, 26 and 21 are similar and each is pivotally mounted on a pin 51 and provided with a roller 68 that is positioned below the upper strand of the conveyor chains. The rollers are mounted on shafts 69 between side panels and H and studs 12 extended downwardly from the segments extended through a cross bar 13 that is suspended from side bars 74 and by upwardly extended ends 16 and 11. The segments are resiliently held upwardly by springs '18 and the lower ends of the studs 12 are provided with nuts 19 that are adjusted to limit upward movement of the segments.

The segments are positioned in openings 80 in an apron or plate 8| that is positioned on the upper edges of the side bars 14 and 15 and upon which the upwardly diverging panels of the trough are positioned.

The hood 29 is provided with side walls 82 and 83 that are secured to the outer surfaces of the side bars 14 and I5 and the blower 28 is positioned in a housing 84 positioned at one side of the hood, the housing being connected to the hood by a neck 85.

The outer end of the housing 84 is provided with a cover plate 86 and the blower shaft 81,

which is provided with a pulley 88 is journaled in a bearing 89 on the cover plate. The blower housing is provided with a discharge chute 90, as shown in Figure 6.

The blower 28 is actuated by any suitable power means through a belt 9| and ears of corn are supplied to the husking unit by a suitable feeder conveyor 92 having a shaft 93 that is journaled between wings 94 and 95 that are extended from side plates 96 and 91, respectively of the unit as shown in Figure 2. A plate 98 connects the lower edges of the wings 94 and 95 providing a chute by which ears of corn are fed to the husking conveyors and rolls.

The units, particularly as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 may be mounted in a suitable frame having uprights 99 and H10 and the feeding conveyor 92 may extend from a corn picker or any suitable implement or device.

With the parts arranged in this manner ears of corn supplied to the conveyors II), II and I2 are positioned by the inclined panels whereby they assume longitudinal positions, as illustrated in Figure 1, as they are conveyed upwardly and as they engage the husking rolls they are rotated on the chains as the husks are removed. The husks, broken stalks, and the like are drawn upwardly by the blower as they are released from the ears of corn and husked and cleaned ears of corn are delivered from the upper ends of the conveyor chains.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. A com husking unit comprising spaced par- 4 with the conveyors in upwardly inclined positions and with the lower ends of the conveyors positioned to receive products, the upper ends of said conveyors being positioned to discharge the products, a pair of husking rolls positioned above and parallel to each of said conveyors, means for pivotally mounting the ends of the said husking rolls at the receiving ends of the conveyors, resilient means supporting the ends of the husking rolls at the discharge ends of the conveyors with the said rolls inclined in relation to the conveyors wherein the distance between the ends of the rolls and conveyors at the discharge ends of the conveyors is less than the distance between the ends of the rolls and conveyors at the receiving ends of the conveyors, idler rollers positioned against the under surfaces of the conveyors, means resiliently urging the said idler rollers with the conveyors thereon upwardly toward the husking rolls, a plurality of troughs with upwardly extended and outwardly diverging sides positioned to coact with the conveyors and husking rolls, a hood positioned over the said husking rolls, and a blower extended from one end of the hood for exhausting air from said hood.

2. A corn husking unit comprising spaced parallel conveyors having flights thereon, shafts with wheels thereon for mounting said conveyors with the conveyors in upwardly inclined positions and with the lower ends of the conveyors positioned to receive products, the upper ends of said conveyors being positioned to discharge the products, a pair of spaced husking rolls positioned above and parallel to each of said conveyors, frames in which the pairs of husking rolls are journaled, means whereby the frames in which the husking rolls are journaled are pivotally mounted, means resiliently supporting the ends of the frames extended toward the discharge ends of the conveyors and in which the husking rolls are positioned with the said rolls inclined in relation to the conveyors wherein the distance between the ends of the rolls and conveyors at the discharge ends of the conveyors is less than the distance between the ends of the rolls and conveyors at the receiving ends of the conveyors, idler rollers positioned against the under surfaces of the conveyors, means for resiliently urging the said rollers with the conveyors thereon upwardly toward the husking rolls, troughs with upwardly extended and outwardly diverging sides positioned to coact with the conveyors and husking rolls, a hood positioned over the said husking rolls, and a blower extended from one end of the hood for exhausting air from said hood.

v RALPH P. MORRISON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 433,133 McDonald July 29, 1890 584,889 Packer June 22, 1897 768,166 Barnard Aug. 23, 1904 770,639 Hidy Sept. 20, 1904 822,187 Conover May 29, 1906 1,379,055 Smith May 24, 1921 1,898,757 Bockmann Feb. 21, 1933 2,217,945 Digre Oct. 15, 1940 2,550,785 Crosset May 1, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 629,943 Great Britain Sept. 30, 1949 

